Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I am sure there will be no problem. With respect to my view on where we are and saying I am optimistic, I am optimistic an agreement can be reached by the end of the year but I am not optimistic that it can be as close and comprehensive as we would like it to be. That is based on the fact that after four rounds of negotiations, little progress has been made. We must be realistic. The EU must be strong in the mandate we have set out, based on an agreement that has been reached and signed by the UK.

I am optimistic that we can reach an agreement but I am not as optimistic that it can be at the level and the quality that we would wish.

In terms of the €750 billion, we are still analysing the breakdown and what that means for us. Obviously, it is very welcome. We had sought an ambitious programme that would be a mixture of loans and grants, which would be targeted to get to not just the member states but the industries that specifically needed it. In that regard, we welcome it but we have questions. The Deputy mentioned the allocation. The allocation method is specifically based on a snapshot of a pre-Covid environment. If the Deputy looks at our economy in January and our economy now, he will see two very different pictures.

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